Apparatus and method for acoustophoretic printing

ABSTRACT

A method of acoustophoretic printing comprises generating an acoustic field at a first end of an acoustic chamber fully or partially enclosed by sound-reflecting walls. The acoustic field interacts with the sound-reflecting walls and travels through the acoustic chamber. The acoustic field is enhanced in a chamber outlet at a second end of the acoustic chamber. An ink is delivered into a nozzle positioned within the acoustic chamber. The nozzle has a nozzle opening projecting into the chamber outlet. The ink travels through the nozzle and is exposed to the enhanced acoustic field at the nozzle opening, and a predetermined volume of the ink is ejected from the nozzle opening and out of the acoustic chamber.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present patent document is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/320,746, which was filed on Jan. 25, 2019, and which is the national stage application of International Patent Application No. PCT/US2017/043539, which was filed on Jul. 24, 2017, and which claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/367,318, which was filed on Jul. 27, 2016. All of the aforementioned patent applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

This invention was made with government support under contract number DMR-1420570 awarded by the National Science Foundation. The government has certain rights in the invention.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure is related generally to droplet generation 2D and 3D printing technology and more specifically to acoustophoretic printing.

BACKGROUND

Due to the limitations of state-of-the-art 2D and 3D printing methods, inks are often engineered to have physical properties satisfying the requirements of existing printers. A typical approach to rendering materials printable is to use additives to adjust the rheological properties of the ink. While enhancing printability, such additives may act as impurities in or otherwise prove detrimental to the printed structure.

In the realm of droplet-based printing techniques, inkjet technology represents a standard in industry and research. Despite its wide usage, only a narrow window of materials having a suitable combination of properties (e.g., viscosity and surface tension) may be successfully ejected from an ink jet printhead. This limitation can be attributed to the droplet detachment mechanism, which is based on the Rayleigh-Plateau instability. In inkjet technologies, a substantial mechanical excitation of the ink may be required in order to break the meniscus and eject a defined volume of liquid. Such a dynamic process implies a strong coupling between interfacial and viscous forces. From a physical point of view, the droplet generation of a defined ink can be characterized by a non-dimensional number, the Ohnesorge number Oh, and its inverse Z=Oh⁻¹=(p σ2R)^(1/2)/μ, with R being the characteristic length of the droplet, p the density of the liquid, σ its surface tension, and μ its viscosity of the ink. Unsurprisingly, the scientific literature reports that successful printing requires that the physical properties of the ink produce a Z value in a narrow window (1<Z<10).

Many inks of practical interest are based upon colloids or polymers that have relatively high viscosity and require dilution with additives for successful printing. Truly decoupling the dependence of the printing process from the physical properties of the ink may allow unprecedented freedom in the type and complexity of materials that can be 2D- and 3D-printed. A description of preliminary work to solve this problem may be found in Foresti et al., “Acoustophoretic Printing Apparatus and Method,” International Publication No. WO 2015/110600, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BRIEF SUMMARY

An apparatus for acoustophoretic printing comprises: an acoustic chamber fully or partially enclosed by sound-reflecting walls for transmission of an acoustic field; an emitter at a first end of the acoustic chamber for generating the acoustic field; a chamber outlet at a second end of the acoustic chamber for locally enhancing the acoustic field and transmitting the acoustic field out of the acoustic chamber; and a nozzle in the acoustic chamber having a nozzle opening projecting into the chamber outlet for delivery of an ink into a high-intensity acoustic field and out of the acoustic chamber.

A method of acoustophoretic printing comprises generating an acoustic field at a first end of an acoustic chamber fully or partially enclosed by sound-reflecting walls. The acoustic field interacts with the sound-reflecting walls and travels through the acoustic chamber. The acoustic field is enhanced in a chamber outlet at a second end of the acoustic chamber. An ink is delivered into a nozzle positioned within the acoustic chamber. The nozzle has a nozzle opening projecting into the chamber outlet. The ink travels through the nozzle and is exposed to the enhanced acoustic field at the nozzle opening, and a predetermined volume of the ink is ejected from the nozzle opening and out of the acoustic chamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic of an exemplary apparatus for acoustophoretic printing. The contour plot shows a finite element method (FEM) simulation of root-mean-square acoustic velocity v_(rms) in the exemplary apparatus.

FIG. 2A shows a classical acoustic levitator, where a detached droplet may be trapped in the acoustic field, and outcoupling is not possible.

FIG. 2B shows a FEM simulation of root-mean-square acoustic pressure p_(rms) in the classical acoustic levitator of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 2C shows a plot of Z/H versus g_(a) for the classical levitator.

FIG. 2D is a schematic showing localization of the acoustic field to permit outcoupling and printing of a detached droplet.

FIG. 3A shows a FEM simulation of root-mean-square acoustic pressure p_(rms) in an exemplary subWavelength Acoustophoretic Voxel Ejector (“subWAVE”).

FIG. 3B shows a plot of Z/H_(h) versus g_(a) for the exemplary subWAVE.

FIG. 3C shows that experimental data are consistent with the numerically predicted force distribution inside the subWAVE as a function of the z-coordinate.

FIG. 3D includes photographs of an exemplary nozzle inside a chamber outlet (subWAVE) as seen from a bottom view and also from a side view.

FIG. 3E is a schematic showing outcoupling and printing of a droplet from a cylindrical subWAVE of dimensions d_(h) and H_(h).

FIG. 3F shows a comparison of the acoustic forces generated by the exemplary subWAVE and a classical levitator as a function of drop volume.

FIG. 4A shows an exemplary Fabry-Perot resonator based on a square cavity and an equivalent resonator with a circular cross-section.

FIG. 4B shows validation of a numerical model employed to calculate the acoustic field inside the subWAVE using results of Christensen et al., Phys. Rev. Left., 101 (2008) for the (square) Fabry-Perot resonator of FIG. 4A, where the peak of the P_(rms) within the cavity is reported.

FIG. 4C shows a H_(h)-d_(h) parametric space, which is convenient to consider when optimizing the subWAVE for a fixed frequency.

FIG. 4D shows a larger H_(h)-d_(h) parametric space.

FIG. 5 shows another exemplary apparatus for acoustophoretic printing, which includes an acoustic chamber comprising two chamber outlets and two nozzles.

FIG. 6A shows a nozzle projecting into the chamber outlet at the second end of an exemplary acoustic chamber, and also a substrate positioned a distance L_(s) away from the exit of the chamber outlet.

FIG. 6B shows a nozzle projecting into the chamber outlet at the second end of another exemplary acoustic chamber, where the chamber outlet includes an outlet portion extending beyond the sound-reflecting bottom wall, which has a reduced thickness compared to the sound-reflecting bottom wall shown in FIG. 6A.

FIGS. 7A-7C are cross-sectional schematics showing possible geometries for the chamber outlet. FIG. 7A shows a straight cylindrical geometry, and FIGS. 7B and 7C show modified cylindrical geometries having a nonzero radius of curvature at the subWAVE exit.

FIG. 8 shows the effect of the radius of curvature (or exit radius) of the subWAVE exit on the normalized root-mean-square velocity (v_(rms)).

FIG. 9 shows the relationship between droplet volume and voltage for the subWAVE geometries of FIGS. 7A-7C.

FIGS. 10A-10C show droplet position accuracy achieved by acoustophoretic printing with a nozzle diameter (nozzle opening) d of 80 μm and using an ink comprising 50% glycerol in water. Drop trajectory errors are presented as standard deviations and the scale bar is 2 mm.

FIG. 11A shows a schematic of droplet detachment in an acoustic field, where radiation pressure acts as an additional force to overcome the capillary interaction between pendant droplet and nozzle.

FIG. 11B shows the relationship between increasing acoustic forces, decreasing nozzle diameter d and droplet size, where water is the ink in this example.

FIG. 11C shows droplet volume and maximum ejection frequency as a function of g_(eq).

FIG. 12 shows the dependence of acoustophoretic droplet generation on the viscosity of the ink.

FIG. 13 shows a contour plot of acoustic pressure in Pascal as a function of H_(R) and H_(E), as determined by simulations.

FIG. 14 shows the experimental set-up used to measure the acoustic pressure field and identify optimal values of H_(E) and H_(R).

FIG. 15 shows a contour plot of acoustic pressure in Pascal as a function of H_(R) and H_(E), as determined by experiments.

FIGS. 16A and 16C show exemplary designs of the acoustic chamber, where the sound-reflecting bottom wall has a reduced thickness in FIG. 16C.

FIG. 16B and FIG. 16D show p_(RMS) on the substrate and in the channel outlet as a function of L_(s), for the acoustic chamber designs of FIGS. 16A and 16C, respectively.

FIG. 16E and FIG. 16F show p_(RMS) on the substrate and in the channel outlet as a function of L_(s).

FIG. 17 shows a plot of exit angle of ejected droplets as a function of voltage for different radial positions of the nozzle inside the chamber outlet.

FIGS. 18A-18C show a rasterized picture prepared by acoustophoretic printing at different magnifications, where fluid dispensing is synchronized with substrate movement to allow for spatial control of droplet deposition.

FIGS. 19A-19D illustrate successful acoustophoretic printing of a variety of inks having values of Z over a wide range, including food products, polymers, biomaterials, and electrically conductive materials, respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Acoustophoretic printing is an innovative approach for 2D- and 3D printing and may have application in a wide range of fields. The technology exploits the nonlinear effects of a subwavelength ultrasonic cavity to control droplet detachment from a nozzle by harnessing acoustic radiation pressure acting on the droplet. By exploiting Fabry-Perot acoustic resonances, as explained below, it may be possible to: (1) generate an acoustic field that intrinsically outcouples the detached drop; 2) create a highly localized acoustic field, which decouples the force from an underlying substrate; and 3) enhance the acoustic force magnitude by more than one or two orders of magnitude compared to existing systems. Advantages of the acoustophoretic printing approach described in this disclosure may include: 1) independence from any electromagnetic/optical properties or composition of the ink; 2) ink-viscosity independence; and 3) coverage of a droplet volume range exceeding two orders of magnitude with a single nozzle size.

Referring to FIG. 1, an apparatus 100 for acoustophoretic printing includes an acoustic chamber 102 fully or partially enclosed by sound-reflecting walls 104 for transmission of an acoustic field with the chamber 102. An emitter 106 is positioned at a first end 102 a of the acoustic chamber 102 for generating the acoustic field, and a chamber outlet 108 is positioned at a second end 102 b of the acoustic chamber 102 for transmitting the acoustic field out of the chamber 102. The chamber outlet 108 is configured to locally enhance the acoustic field, as explained below, and may thus be referred to as a subWavelength Acoustophoretic Voxel Ejector (or “subWAVE”). The chamber outlet 108 is spaced apart from the acoustic emitter 106 by a distance d_(x) in a direction normal to a longitudinal axis L of the emitter 106, where L may be understood to be aligned with the z-direction and d_(x) may extend along the x-direction. A nozzle 110 in the acoustic chamber 102 has a nozzle opening 112 projecting into the chamber outlet 108 for delivery of an ink into the locally-enhanced acoustic field. Thus, ink droplets of very small volumes may be detached from the nozzle opening 112 and may exit the acoustic chamber 102. A substrate 116 may be positioned outside the acoustic chamber 102 and facing the chamber outlet 108 to receive the ejected ink. The substrate 116 may be moving relative to the nozzle opening 112 in an x-, y-, and/or z-direction such that the ink droplets are deposited in a predetermined 2D or 3D pattern on the substrate 116. Suitable inks may include both Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids, viscoelastic fluids, yield stress fluids, polymer solutions, hydrogels, colloids, emulsions and complex fluids in general with Z values spanning a wide range (e.g., 0.001≤Z≤1000). The substrate 116 that receives the ink droplets may comprise a solid, liquid or gel.

As shown in FIG. 1, the chamber outlet 108 may be a through-thickness cavity in one of the sound-reflecting walls of the acoustic chamber. The chamber outlet or subWAVE 108 is configured to achieve a resonant condition that strongly enhances the acoustic field and provides an acoustic force for droplet detachment. Microscale droplets having a diameter less than about 2 mm (or a volume less than about 4 mm³) may be detached. At higher acoustic fields, smaller-size droplets (e.g., droplets having a diameter less than about 200 microns or a volume less than about 0.004 mm³) may be detached. In some cases, droplets having a diameter as small as about 120 microns, or even as small as about 50 microns, may be detached. A lower bound for the droplet diameter may be about 10 microns. Generally speaking, the subWAVE can be configured to allow detachment of droplets having diameters in a range from about 10 microns to about 2 mm, where a diameter range of 50 microns to 2 mm, or 200 microns to 2 mm, is more typical. The chamber outlet or subWAVE 108 may exhibit an extraordinary acoustic field enhancement based on the Fabry-Perot cavity principle.

The chamber outlet 108 may have a width or diameter d_(h) and a height H_(h), as indicated in FIG. 3E, where d_(h) and H_(h) may be defined in terms of the wavelength λ of the acoustic field. To achieve a resonant condition, d_(h) and H_(h) may fall within the following ranges: 0.01λ≤d_(h)≤0.20λ and 0.30λ≤H_(h)≤0.60λ or 0.80λ≤H_(h)≤1.0λ, according to the related Fabry-Perot resonance. Since the Fabry-Perot resonator may have any cross section (e.g., cylindrical, square—as reported in FIG. 4A—or polygonal, ellipsoidal, irregular, etc.), it is more convenient to refer to its cross-sectional area A. So to achieve a resonant condition, A and H_(h) may fall within the following range: π/4·(0.01)²/λ²≤A≤π/4·(0.2)²/λ², and 0.30λ≤H_(h)≤0.60λ or 0.80λ≤H_(h)≤1.0λ, according to the related Fabry-Perot resonance. Typically, the wavelength λ of the acoustic field in air is about 1.4 mm for a system operating at an acoustic frequency of about 250 kHz, and thus, for some embodiments, 14 microns≤d_(h)≤280 microns, corresponding to 616 μm²<A<0.2463 mm², and 420 microns≤H_(h)≤840 microns or 1120 microns≤H_(h)≤1400 microns. For use at higher frequencies and longer wavelengths, the dimensions of the subWAVE may be increased. For example, for a wavelength λ of about 14 mm, d_(h) and H_(h) may fall within the following ranges: 0.14 mm≤d_(h)≤2.8 mm, corresponding to 0.0616 mm²<A<24.63 mm², and 4.2 mm≤H_(h)≤8.4 mm or 11.2 mm≤H_(h)≤14.0 mm. More generally speaking, considering a range of possible wavelengths, 14 microns≤d_(h)≤2.8 mm, corresponding to 616 μm²<A<24.63 mm², and 420 microns≤H_(h)≤14.0 mm.

The achievement of a resonant condition in the chamber outlet or subWAVE 108 may be exhibited by an enhancement in acoustic pressure. FIGS. 2B and 3A show FEM simulations of root-mean-square acoustic pressure p_(rms) in a classical acoustic levitator (FIG. 2A) and in an exemplary subWAVE (FIG. 3E), respectively. In the classical levitator, an acoustic standing wave generated between an emitter or oscillating source and a reflector may have a resonant condition, where a distance H between the oscillating source and the reflector is a multiple of half of the acoustic wavelength λ. For example, when H≈λ/2, a pressure node is generated between the emitter and reflector, and the acoustic field can push small samples (R<λ/2) towards the center at about H≈λ/4. In the plot of Z/H versus g_(a) in FIG. 2B, H represents the distance H between the oscillating source and reflector and g_(a) represents the acoustic acceleration.

Referring now to FIGS. 3A and 3E, the p_(rms) in the chamber outlet is approximately eight times higher than in the classical acoustic levitator, showing evidence of resonance and leading to nearly two orders of magnitude enhancement in acoustophoretic forces, as shown in FIG. 3B. H_(h) refers to the height or length of the chamber outlet 108, as illustrated in FIG. 3E. The chart of FIG. 3B reveals that downward forces act on the nozzle opening 112 in the chamber outlet 108, and FIG. 3C shows experimental data that confirm the numerically predicted force distribution inside the chamber outlet 108 as a function of the z-coordinate. FIG. 3D includes schematics of an exemplary nozzle 110 inside an exemplary chamber outlet 108 as seen from a bottom view and also from a side view. It should be noted that, while the figures show the chamber outlet 108 as having a longitudinal axis oriented along the z-direction or the vertical direction as defined by gravity, such an orientation is not required. Since the acoustic force may be greater than the force of gravity, ink may be ejected from the acoustic chamber even with a non-vertical (e.g., horizontal) orientation of the nozzle 110 and the chamber outlet 108.

In contrast to traditional standing wave levitators, the subWAVE 108 allows for ejection of the detached droplet from the acoustic chamber 102, as shown schematically in FIG. 3E for an exemplary cylindrical subWAVE 108 of dimensions d_(h) and H_(h). This unique characteristic is the result of the double open-ended nature of the chamber outlet 108 along the central z-axis, and by the designed axial force gradient, which allows the detached droplet to be ejected. In addition to such qualitative features, in the subWAVE 108 the acoustic force is enhanced up to two orders of magnitudes compared to the typical levitator configuration, allowing for forces exceeding 100 gVp and therefore detachment and ejection of subnanoliter volumes of ink. Acoustic resonance leads to high acoustic pressure amplification while the subWAVE 108 keeps the field strongly confined. Once the total acoustophoretic and gravitational forces F_(a), F_(g) exceed the capillary force F_(c), as illustrated in FIG. 3E, the droplet may be detached and outcoupled from the chamber exit 114 of the subWAVE 108. A comparison of the acoustic forces generated by the subWAVE 108 compared to a classical levitator is shown in FIG. 3F as a function of drop volume.

Since acoustophoretic printing can generate acoustic forces (F_(a)) more than two order of magnitude higher than the gravitational force (F_(g)), the ballistic trajectory of the ejected droplet allows for accurate printing even in a direction orthogonal to the force of gravity, as mentioned above. Indeed, for a substrate 116 positioned within 1-3 mm from the chamber outlet 108, gravitational effects on the droplet trajectory are minimal. Experiments in which an ink comprising a water-glycerol mixture (50%) is ejected from a chamber outlet 108 along a trajectory orthogonal to the direction of gravity show that, when F_(a)>10 F_(g), the trajectory is poorly influenced by the gravitational force up to several millimeters from the nozzle opening 112. Since the subWAVE 108 need not be oriented such that ejection of the droplet occurs in the vertical (downward) direction, as defined by the force of gravity, the term “vertical force” used herein may be understood to refer more generally to an acoustic ejection force that may act in a vertical or other direction to expel the droplet from the exit 114 of the subWAVE 108.

Fabry-Perot resonance may be understood to be a manifestation of constructive or destructive acoustic wave interference over a certain path length that can lead to multiple transmission peaks. In the present case, a subwavelength resonance is generated in the chamber outlet 108 (in addition to the primary standing wave in the acoustic chamber 102) may lead to an enhancement in the acoustic field. A small departure from the optimal dimensions of a Fabry-Perot resonator can strongly reduce the acoustic field and thus the vertical force inside the subWAVE 108. FIG. 4A shows an exemplary Fabry-Perot resonator based on a square cavity that was used in the work of Christensen et al., Phys. Rev. Left., 101 (2008). The square resonator can be converted to an equivalent resonator with a circular cross-section as shown. FIG. 4B shows validation of the numerical model employed herein based on the results of Christensen et al. In that work, the transmittance (normalized on the cavity cross-sectional area) was calculated, while in this investigation the peak of the P_(rms) within the cavity is reported. To optimize the subWAVE for a fixed frequency, it is more convenient to consider a H_(h)-d_(h) parametric space, as shown in FIG. 4C. A complete H_(h)-d_(h) parametric space is shown in FIG. 4D. H_(h)=0.36λ and d_(h)=0.14λ are selected within the first Fabry-Perot resonance space.

The acoustic chamber 102 may include a sound-reflecting side wall 104 s at the second end to facilitate formation of a velocity antinode 120 a in the acoustic field adjacent to the chamber outlet 108. FIG. 1 provides an illustration of an exemplary root-mean-square velocity field in the acoustic chamber 102, where the red spots depict velocity antinodes 120, or regions of high velocity. Simulations and experiments show that the intensity of the acoustic field in the chamber outlet 108 depends on the proximity of the nearest velocity antinode 120 a to the outlet 108. The closer the sound-reflecting side wall 104 s is to the chamber outlet 108, the higher the acoustic field may be inside the chamber outlet 108. Ideally, the velocity antinode 120 a is directly above the chamber outlet 108, as shown in FIG. 1. Additional chamber outlets can be added adjacent to (e.g., below) other velocity antinodes 120, thereby providing a chamber configuration suitable for use with multiple nozzles. The distance d_(x) between the emitter 106 and the outlet 108 may be determined at least in part by the number of nozzles 110 to be incorporated into the acoustic chamber 102. At a minimum, the distance d_(x) is large enough (e.g., at least about 1 mm) to accommodate at least one nozzle positioned adjacent to the emitter 106. Typically, the distance d_(x) is at least about 10 mm, at least about 30 mm, or at least about 50 mm, and the distance d_(x) may be as large as about 1 m or as large as about 500 mm.

FIG. 5 shows another exemplary apparatus 200 for acoustophoretic printing. The acoustic chamber 102 includes a plurality of chamber outlets 108 and a plurality of nozzles 110, where each nozzle 110 has a nozzle opening 112 projecting into one of the chamber outlets 108. The nozzles 110 and the chamber outlets 108 may be spaced apart along an x-direction between the first and second ends 102 a, 102 b of the acoustic chamber 102. The nozzles 110 and the chamber outlets 108 may also or alternatively be spaced apart along a y-direction. Thus, a 2D arrangement of nozzles 110 may be included in the apparatus 200.

As indicated above, the acoustic chamber 102 may be partially or fully enclosed by the sound-reflecting walls 104. Advantageously, the acoustic chamber 102 includes at least two or at least three sound-reflecting walls and as many as six or more sound-reflecting walls. For example, the acoustic chamber 10 may include a sound-reflecting top wall 104 t adjacent to the acoustic emitter 106 and a sound-reflecting bottom wall 104 b in opposition to the acoustic emitter 106. The sound-reflecting walls may be formed of any of a number of solid materials, including metals, ceramics, polymers, natural fiber materials (e.g., wood, paper), plaster, and others. The acoustic chamber may have a rectangular parallelepiped shape, as shown for example in FIG. 5, or the chamber may have another elongated shape, such as a cylindrical shape. In such a case, the sound-reflecting top and bottom walls may be portions of a single curved surface. The acoustic emitter 106 may comprise a piezoelectric transducer, a mechanical oscillator, a magnetostrictive oscillator or another source of sound waves. The longitudinal axis of the emitter may be defined by the direction of the oscillations.

The acoustic field generated in the acoustic chamber 102 may be highly dependent on the dimensions of the chamber 102, including the distance d_(x) between the emitter 106 and the chamber outlet 108, the height of the emitter 106 (emitter height H_(E)), the height of the sound-reflecting top wall 104 t (reflector height H_(R)), and the distance d_(wall) between the chamber outlet 108 and the sound-reflecting side wall 104 s. The distance d_(wall) is shown schematically in FIGS. 6A and 6B, and the emitter and reflector heights H_(E), H_(R) are labeled in FIG. 14. The emitter and reflector heights H_(E), H_(R) can strongly influence the shape and intensity of the acoustic field and can affect the position of velocity and pressure antinodes. The smaller d_(wall) is, the higher the intensity of the acoustic field is in the chamber outlet 108. The determination of optimal values of H_(R) and H_(E) is discussed below. Typically, H_(R) may lie in the range from about 0.3λ to about 0.7λ, H_(E) may lie in the range from about 0.3λ to about 0.7λ, d_(wall) may lie in the range from about 0.0λ to about 0.3λ, and d_(x) may be from about 1 mm to about 500 mm. Varying these dimensions may serve as a tool for adjusting and selecting the size of the ejected droplets, as discussed below in the section “Experimental and Computational Details.”

The acoustic chamber may include a fluid medium, i.e., a gas or liquid such as ambient air, water or oil, which can transmit sound waves. The acoustic chamber may be immersed in the fluid medium. In some cases, the fluid medium may be forced through the acoustic chamber at a constant or variable flow rate.

The nozzle 110 may take the form of a glass pipette or other fluid conduit that has a length sufficient to pass through the interior of the acoustic chamber 102 and into the chamber outlet 108. The nozzle 110 may include a nozzle opening 112 having a diameter in the range from about 1 micron to about 1 mm, and more typically from about 10 microns to about 100 microns. To prevent wetting of the nozzle during printing, the nozzle 110 may include a hydrophobic coating at or near the nozzle opening 112. Typically, the nozzle opening 112 is substantially centered within the chamber outlet (e.g., substantially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the chamber outlet) 108 as shown in FIG. 3D to promote ejection of a droplet having a straight trajectory. If the nozzle opening 112 is off-center, the ejected droplet may move off-axis along a tilted trajectory as it exits the chamber outlet. If desired, the trajectory of the ejected droplet may be controlled by changing the position of the nozzle opening 112 within the chamber outlet 108, as discussed in detail below. The nozzle 110 may be secured (e.g., by a Luer-Lock connector) to a syringe pump or other ink dispenser that is located outside of the acoustic chamber 102.

As indicated above, the chamber outlet 108 may take the form of a through-thickness cavity 118 in one of the sound-reflecting walls 104 of the acoustic chamber 102. Referring to FIGS. 6A and 6B, the sound-reflecting wall 104 containing the through-thickness cavity 118 may be a sound-reflecting bottom wall 104 b. As shown in FIG. 6B, the through-thickness cavity 118 may further include an outlet portion 120 extending beyond the sound-reflecting bottom wall 104 b, which has a reduced thickness compared to the sound-reflecting bottom wall 104 b shown in FIG. 6A. The outlet portion 120 may have a wall thickness less than that of the sound-reflecting bottom wall 104 b, which may have some advantages, including allowing for a reduced distance L_(s) between the subWAVE exit or opening 114 and the substrate 116, as discussed in the Examples. For example, the distance L_(s) may be as small as 0.1λ in the configuration of FIG. 6B.

The chamber outlet 108 may have a cylindrical geometry, as shown by the image of FIG. 3D and the longitudinal cross-sectional schematic of FIG. 7A, or a modified cylindrical geometry, as shown for example by the longitudinal cross-sectional schematics of FIGS. 7B and 7C. In both of the modified cylindrical geometries shown in FIGS. 7B and 7C, the subWAVE exit or opening 114 has a nonzero radius of curvature (or exit radius) (r_(exit)). For example, the subWAVE exit 114 may have radius of curvature r_(exit)> 1/20 d_(h). The geometry of FIG. 7B (which may be referred to as “smooth”) has a much smaller radius of curvature than that of the geometry of FIG. 7C (which may be referred to as “convex”). It should be understood that the terms “cylindrical geometry” and “modified cylindrical geometry” are not intended to limit the chamber outlet 108 to a geometry having a circular transverse cross-section. For either the cylindrical or modified cylindrical geometry, a given transverse cross-section of the chamber outlet 108 may be circular, oval, square (as shown for example in FIG. 4A), pentagonal, hexagonal, or another symmetric or nonsymmetric shape.

FIG. 8 shows the effect of the radius of curvature of the subWAVE exit 114 on the normalized root-mean-square velocity (v_(rms)), as determined by simulations using a 2D axisymmetric model. The modeling data show that v_(rms) decreases when the exit radius (r_(exit)) increases from 0.1 mm to 1 mm for λ=14 mm. FIG. 9 shows the relationship between droplet volume and the voltage applied to the emitter for the subWAVE geometries of FIGS. 7A-7C. The droplet size is determined by analyzing images of ejected droplets obtained with a high-speed camera during printing. Several observations can be made from this plot. First, both the convex and cylindrical designs exhibit a lower droplet volume and thus a higher acoustic force F_(a) than the smooth design. The convex design does not have any data for voltages above 160 V because droplet detachment becomes unstable and clogging occurs at or above this voltage. Between 70 V and 160 V, however, both the cylindrical and convex designs exhibit similar values. The cylindrical design has a strong acoustic antinode at the nozzle opening due to its geometry and, absent perfect centering of the nozzle, the exiting droplet may be strongly attracted toward the side (that is, away from the center of the chamber outlet). In the smooth design, the acoustic antinode may be weaker and farther from the center as the nozzle opening widens. As revealed in FIG. 9, the smooth design exhibits a weaker acoustic field, but it may have advantages in terms of ease of use and printing precision.

In addition to an apparatus for acoustophoretic printing, a method of acoustophoretic printing is described herein. The method may entail generating an acoustic field at a first end of an acoustic chamber fully or partially enclosed by sound-reflecting walls. The acoustic field interacts with the sound-reflecting walls and travels through the acoustic chamber, ultimately being transmitted through a chamber outlet at a second end of the acoustic chamber. The acoustic field is enhanced in the chamber outlet, which functions as a subwavelength resonator or subWAVE, as explained above. An ink is delivered into a nozzle positioned within the acoustic chamber that has a nozzle opening projecting into the chamber outlet. The ink travels through the nozzle to the nozzle opening and is exposed to the enhanced acoustic field in the chamber outlet. A predetermined volume of the ink may thus be ejected from the nozzle opening and out of the acoustic chamber. The chamber outlet or subWAVE may achieve a resonant condition that strongly enhances the acoustic field and provides an acoustic force to facilitate droplet detachment and ejection from the chamber. The acoustic resonance may be referred to as a Fabry-Perot resonance, as explained above.

Advantageously, the acoustic field comprises a velocity antinode at the second end of the acoustic chamber adjacent to the chamber outlet. The acoustic field may further comprise a plurality of the velocity antinodes between the first end and the second end of the acoustic chamber. To exploit the presence of multiple velocity antinodes, the acoustic chamber may include a plurality of chamber outlets, where each chamber outlet is positioned adjacent to (e.g., below) one of the velocity antinodes, and a plurality of the nozzles, where each nozzle has a nozzle outlet projecting into one of the chamber outlets.

The acoustic field may be generated by an emitter, which may take the form of a piezoelectric transducer, a metal oscillator or another source of sound waves. A suitable driving frequency may be in the range from 1 kHz to 2 MHz, and more typically from 20 kHz to 250 kHz. At a suitable driving frequency, a resonant condition corresponding to a high acoustic pressure may be achieved in the chamber outlet.

The acoustic field generated in the acoustic chamber may be highly dependent on the dimensions of the acoustic chamber as described above and in the examples. Consequently, controlling the dimensions of the acoustic chamber may provide a tool for adjusting and selecting the size of the ejected droplets. Additionally, for a given size and/or geometry of the acoustic chamber, the size of the ejected droplets may be controlled by varying the emitter amplitude.

Droplet generation, ejection (or outcoupling) from the acoustic chamber, and droplet trajectory control are important aspects of acoustophoretic printing. Printing accuracy is influenced by the distance between the nozzle opening and the substrate, and the magnitude of acoustophoretic forces. Ballistic ejection of the droplet is confirmed by the exit angle error, which remains mostly constant at different nozzle-substrate distances, as shown in FIGS. 10A-10C. Its value from about 0.2° to about 5° compares well with experimental inkjet apparatuses. The apparatus described herein can achieve a droplet position error variation of about 100 μm or less for strong acoustophoretic fields. This error may be decreased linearly by increasing the operation ultrasonic frequency, which would allow the size of the subWAVE to be linearly decreased (5.3 mm) and thus the minimum substrate-nozzle distance could be decreased. Indeed, a present exemplary system is based on a 25 kHz driving frequency that allows a minimum nozzle opening-substrate distance of 3.15 mm. Position accuracy below about 25 μm may be achieved by using driving frequencies above 100 kHz, which are commonly found in ultrasonic actuators. The robustness of the acoustophoretic printing apparatus is demonstrated by printing a large rasterized image of 10 cm×7.5 cm in size, as shown in FIGS. 18A-18C. Printing speeds in the 1-10 mm/s range are typically achieved, although a much wider range of printing speeds is possible (e.g., from about 0.1 mm/s to about 1 m/s).

Possible applications for acoustophoretic printing include optics, microfluidics, bioprinting, food manufacturing and stretchable electronics. Given the wide range of ink material capability, drop-on-demand (DOD) features, and robustness, acoustophoretic printing can be employed to realize a diverse array of materials and products. FIGS. 19A-19D highlight the versatility of acoustophoretic printing with examples from the food industry, optics, human-tissue engineering and stretchable electronics.

Additive manufacturing for food is a growing and novel market and field of research, while honey represents a typical lay example of a viscous fluid; being able to DOD print such a fluid without any kind of chemical, physical, thermal or electric adulteration represents a litmus test of the process described in this patent document. FIG. 19A shows honey drops (Z=0.007) on white chocolate as deposited in a regular pattern by acoustophoretic printing at room temperature (21° C., μ=25 Pa·s). Droplets are about 580 microns in size with a footprint of 690 microns.

Compound eyes are well known for their infinite depth of field and wide field of view. Nevertheless, their artificial counterparts—microlens arrays—are characterized by cumbersome fabrication, especially in 3D forms. FIG. 19B shows a microlens array printed in a spiral fashion with a high degree of consistency between droplets (average diameter=570±20 μm, contact angle 74±4°) of an ultra-violet (UV) light-curable transparent adhesive (Z=0.5, NOA60, μ=300 mPa·s). The DOD, contactless printing ability of acoustophoretic printing allows arbitrary patterning of the adhesive droplets on conformal and non-conformal substrates, as shown.

In human-tissue engineering, a prototypical printing of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) in collagen is presented in FIG. 19C. Collagen is widely used in tissue engineering since it is a natural extracellular matrix material (ECM). Nevertheless, its use in the field of bioprinting comes with multiple problems, since its viscosity is subject to change due to fibril aggregation. FIG. 19C shows how, due to the ink-viscosity independency of the acoustophoretic process, drops of an extremely high-concentration collagen solution (5 mg/ml; Z<1) and stem cells can be ejected and patterned during a long period of time (1 to 2 hours) on a substrate at room temperature without compromising the ejected volume or hindering the printing process. In the acoustophoretic patterning of hMSCs, pure highly-concentrated collagen (5 mg/ml) may be neutralized (pH≈7) and mixed with hMSCs at 10⁶ cells/ml. The prepared biomaterial may be kept at about 6° C. and printed at room temperature (21° C.) onto glass cover slips. The printed structures may then be incubated for 30 minutes to ensure collagen fibril aggregation. Finally, a gelatin/fibrin matrix is casted over them. After incubation, the cells proliferate and within 3 weeks they form a branching network. The successful growth of three-dimensional networks of hMSCs illustrates that acoustophoretic printing is extremely gentle, so the cells remain viable. Furthermore, positive staining of CD90 indicates that they maintain their multipotent state after printing.

In the high Z-number range, low viscosity and high surface tension inks such as liquid metals can be printed. FIG. 19D shows acoustophoretic printed features of bulk eutectic gallium indium (EGaIn) which has Z=500. Bulk EGaIn is DOD printed at room temperature using the method and apparatus described in this disclosure to form individual drops, self-standing structures, and functional circuits on stretchable fabric, as shown. While being extensively used in molding, EGaIn is very difficult to extrude or eject, since it promptly forms an oxide layer at the interface with air. Prior to now, pure EGaIn has not been printed in contactless, dropwise fashion. Using acoustophoretic forces, there is no need for intermediate steps to prepare the liquid metal, such as processing it into a nanoparticle colloid. Single drop, self-standing three-dimensional structures and functional conducting circuits on a stretchable fabric can be easily achieved by means of acoustophoretic printing.

As the above examples show, the ink may be successfully printed over a wide range of Z values (e.g., from 0.001 to 1000). In specific embodiments, the ink may have a value of Z from 0.001 to less than 1, from 1 to 10, or from greater than 10 to 1000. Among the large range of inks that may be successfully printed are synthetic and naturally-derived biocompatible materials with or without cells (e.g., human cells such as stem cells, primary cells or other cell types), electrically or ionically conductive materials such as liquid metals (e.g., EGaIn), and polymers such as adhesives, hydrogels, elastomers and others. It should be noted that some polymers may be biocompatible and/or conductive. For example, polymers such as polyaniline and ionically conductive hydrogels are intrinsically conductive, and other “extrinsically conductive” polymers may be rendered conductive by additives, such as metal particles. Polymers such derived from collagen, hyaluronate, fibrin, alginate, agarose, chitosan or gelatin, for example, may be biocompatible. Suitable inks may also or alternatively include drugs, pharmaceutical agents and/or food products.

Physical Principle

To understand the advantage of employing a high-intensity acoustic field during 2D or 3D printing, the basic physical principle behind (ink) droplet detachment is explained here. Referring to FIG. 11A, a droplet of radius R detaches from a nozzle of diameter d when an applied external force F_(e) overcomes the nozzle capillary force F_(c)=πσd. When only the gravitational force F_(g)=Vpg is present, the detachment occurs when F_(c)=F_(g), with V being the droplet volume, and g the gravitational acceleration. For a given liquid and a nozzle diameter, the corresponding liquid volume V* may be represented by V*=πdσ/p.

In such a system, the flow through the nozzle is decoupled from droplet detachment. The gravity force acts as a body force and an external force compared to the nozzle/reservoir system. Viscosity plays little role in this quasi-static approximation, and it does not appear in the equilibrium equation V*=πdσ/p. This decoupling allows ink droplets of practically any viscosity to be ejected from a nozzle when dealing with Newtonian fluids.

To decrease the droplet size at detachment, two options are possible: the fluid properties, σ/p, may be acted on, or d may be acted on. The former approach may be more limiting, since σ and p are usually of the same order of magnitude for most liquids of interest and, additionally, it is not consistent with a material-independent ejection concept. The nozzle diameter d can be varied from the millimeter size range down to the submicron size range, allowing for a linear decrease of V*, as illustrated in FIGS. 11B-11C. Unfortunately, at small d, physical limits due to viscous and interfacial forces may hinder liquid ejection. In fact, when the nozzle diameter decreases, Laplace pressure losses strongly increase for Newtonian fluids, leading in some cases to prohibitively large pressure drops. Additionally, when dealing with colloidal inks, the nozzle is preferably at least an order of magnitude larger than the dispersed particle diameter to avoid clogging. The concept presented here uses nonlinear acoustic forces (acoustophoresis) to provide an additional variable to control the size of the detached droplet.

The force on the droplet arises from the radiation pressure, which is a nonlinear effect of the acoustic field. Acoustophoretic forces are essentially material independent when handling liquid or solid samples in air. In particular, when dealing with spherical objects (i.e. a drop) in an acoustic standing wave configuration, the acoustophoretic forces scales as F_(a)∝R³p²∝Vp², with p being the acoustic pressure. This scaling highlights three important aspects: 1) no property information is needed regarding the sample material since the forces are material independent; 2) the acoustic forces are strongly dependent on the acoustic pressure; 3) since gravitational forces are also proportional to V, an equivalent (augmented) acoustic acceleration g_(a) can be introduced.

F _(c) =πσd=F _(g) +F _(a) =V*p(g+g _(a))→V*=πdσ/pg _(eq)  (1)

Equation 1 illustrates acoustophoretic droplet generation in all its simplicity and power. Since F_(a)∝g_(a)∝p², for any liquid or nozzle V*∝1/p². FIG. 11B shows the level of control of the detached droplet size by acting on the acoustic pressure p: more than two orders of magnitude in volume for the same nozzle size. Eq. 1 is valid under the assumption of a flow through the nozzle q not exceeding the jet limit, q<π(d³σ/2p)^(1/2), presenting some similarity with co-flow droplet generation in microfluidics. Accordingly, an ejection frequency in the kHz range is possible with acoustophoretic printing.

With its inherent independence of viscous material properties, acoustophoretic printing enables droplet generation from inks of disparate classes. Acoustophoretic printing can generate droplets in a Z-range that extends the state of the art by more than four orders of magnitude; such a capability may allow a much wider swath of materials to be printed in a contactless droplet-based fashion, enabling new possibilities in the realm of functional printing. Since the droplet detachment is not dependent on interfacial breakup, acoustophoretic printing is indeed little affected by the ink viscosity. In order to showcase this characteristic, deionized water and a polymer solution (Poly Ethylene Glycol, PEG molecular weight 8000) are continuously mixed to span three orders of magnitude of ink viscosity, from μ=1 mPa·s to 1000 mPa·s. FIG. 12 shows the dependence of acoustophoretic droplet generation on the viscosity of the ink. The values of g_(eq) are averaged with respect to the dripping mode (1 g) and the red error bars represents the measurement error (1 pixel=9 μm); d=100 μm. For a defined acoustophoretic excitation, fluid viscosity has little influence on the ejected droplet volume V*.

Experimental and Computational Details Acoustic Chamber Design

As discussed above, the acoustic field generated in the acoustic chamber is highly dependent on the dimensions of the acoustic chamber. Once the dimensions of the acoustic chamber are set based on the size of the emitter and the space needed for the nozzle(s), the emitter height H_(E) and the reflector height H_(R) can be considered.

In order to characterize the acoustic chamber and identify the optimal values of H_(E) and H_(R), d_(wall) is set to 1.2 mm and kept constant for all measurements, corresponding to d_(wall)=0.9λ (here, λ=14 mm). Simulations are performed where both dimensions are varied. The result is a matrix of acoustic pressure in Pascal as a function of H_(R) and H_(E), which is shown in a contour plot in FIG. 13. H_(E) and H_(R) are varied between 0.48λ-0.56λ and 0.5λ-0.58λ respectively with 0.005λ increments. The heights H_(E) and H_(R) are normalized by the wavelength λ≈14 mm of the acoustic field. Two peaks can be seen at P₁=(H_(R), H_(E))=(0.55λ, 0.505λ) and P₂=(H_(R), H_(E))=(0.565λ, 0.525λ), which represent the regions of highest acoustic force F_(a) and therefore where the droplets ejected are smallest. Interestingly, the highest pressures are obtained for values of H_(E) and H_(R) that are not equal, i.e., H_(R)≠H_(E), and the acoustic field is shown to be very sensitive to H_(E) and H_(R).

The modeling of the acoustic field identifies values of H_(E) and H_(R) that may lead to an optimal acoustic field in the subWAVE. To study the influence of H_(E) and H_(R) and on the acoustic field experimentally, measurements of the acoustic pressure field are performed with a microphone. The microphone is placed outside the acoustic chamber, coaxial to the chamber outlet (subWAVE) at a distance of 8 mm from the subWAVE exit. The experimental setup used is shown in FIG. 14. The microphone is placed on a horizontal plane at the location where the acoustic field intensity is at a maximum, i.e., where the microphone output is maximized.

H_(E) and H_(R) are varied between 0.48λ-0.45λ and 0.5λ-0.58λ respectively with 0.07λ increments. The measurements are repeated three times and the parts are disassembled and reassembled between each set of measurements. The final result is a 12×12 matrix which is a function of H_(E) and H_(R) and is shown in a contour plot in FIG. 15. There is a very good agreement between the microphone measurements of FIG. 15 and the simulations shown in FIG. 13. Both plots display pressure in Pascal as a function of H_(E) and H_(R). Two well-defined peaks can be seen at P₁=(H_(R),H_(E))=(0.515λ, 0.523λ) and P₂=(0.575λ, 0.537λ) in FIG. 15. The experimental contour plot has a very similar acoustic field distribution as obtained from the simulations. In both cases, two clear acoustic pressure peaks can be seen within the chosen emitter and reflector height ranges. The experimental data presents a slightly larger horizontal spacing between the two peaks: ΔH_(R)/λ=0.06 for the microphone measurement in contrast to ΔH_(R)/λ=0.015 for the simulations. On the other hand, both plots present a similar vertical spacing between the two peaks of approximately ΔH_(E)/λ=0.015. An offset of around 0.015λ (1.5% of λ) in H_(E) is observed between the experimental results and the numerical model. This offset may be due to the uncertainty in emitter height calibration. The investigation shows good agreement between microphone measurements and simulations.

Varying H_(E) and H_(R) provides a powerful tool to adjust and choose the size of the ejected droplets. In this study, the highest acoustic field intensity—which is believed to result in the smallest possible droplet size during printing—is found to occur with H_(E) and H_(R) set to P₂=(0.575λ, 0.537λ). P₂ has a broader peak than P₁, providing more room for maneuver and making emitter and reflector heights adjustments easier. Given the breadth of the peak P₂, optimal values for H_(E) and H_(R) may fall in the ranges: 0.57λ≤H_(E)≤0.58λ, and 0.53λ≤H_(R)≤0.54λ.

FIG. 16A shows an exemplary design of the acoustic chamber with a sound reflecting bottom wall having a flat design (where the length or height of the subWAVE corresponds to the thickness of the bottom wall). The influence of L_(s) on the subWAVE resonances is indicated in FIG. 16B. FIG. 16E shows that below 0.5λ≈7 mm, the acoustic field strongly deteriorates for the flat design. Peaks at 0.5λ, λ and 1.5λ show the presence of resonance wavelengths and wave interference.

An alternative design is shown in FIG. 16C, which allows for a reduced-thickness reflecting surface. In this “narrow” design, the channel outlet includes an outlet portion extending beyond the sound-reflecting bottom wall. Thus, the length or height of the subWAVE exceeds the thickness of the sound-reflecting bottom wall. In such a configuration, it is possible to decouple the subWAVE and the substrate, even at low distances L_(s)<0.1λ. FIG. 16B and FIG. 16D show simulations of both flat and narrow designs for a given distance L_(s). A typical value of L_(s) for printing is in the range of 6-8 mm. The root mean square pressure p_(RMS) is plotted and a noticeable difference can be seen in maximum intensity (6.2 kPa and 22.3 kPa respectively) in the channel outlet. The narrow design of FIG. 16C exhibits p_(RMS) values almost four times higher than the flat design of FIG. 16A.

FIG. 16E and FIG. 16F show p_(RMS) on the substrate and in the channel outlet as a function of L_(s). The thin-walled narrow design exhibits a smoother curve in both plots than the flat design, where resonance peaks can be observed. In both plots, a noticeable difference can be seen for L_(s)≤0.5λ. In the experimental setup in use, the acoustic frequency f is about 25 kHz and the wavelength is about 14 mm. For the flat design, simulations show a deteriorating acoustic field below L_(s)=7 mm. On the other hand, as mentioned above, the narrow design can be employed successfully at distances as low as L_(s)=0.1λ=1.4 mm.

Experiments indicate that the position of the nozzle opening within the chamber outlet can influence the trajectory of the ejected droplet. In a series of experiments, a nozzle (d=1 mm) is placed in the center of the subWAVE (d_(h)=2 mm) at a height 2 mm from the exit 114 and translated in a radial direction. The nozzle takes three radial positions: center (0 μm), 100 μm from the center, and 200 μm from the center. The maximum nozzle displacement is 500 μm, at which point the nozzle touches the wall of the SUBWAVE. For displacements above 300 μm, clogging is occasionally observed. Ejected droplets are filmed and the movies are later analyzed using a custom Matlab© code that extracts information such as the droplet diameter and position. FIG. 17 shows the angle of droplets for the above-mentioned positions and for different voltages. Each data point includes a standard deviation of the angle, which is important for printing precision.

The data show, as expected from simulations, that the droplet's trajectory is altered by the acoustic field as the nozzle is moved away from the center of the chamber outlet. For example, if the nozzle is displaced to the right, the trajectory of the droplet is moved to the right. It is further noted that the angle of ejection increases as the nozzle gets closer to the wall. This corresponds very well to the simulations since v_(RMS) increases closer to the wall. It is interesting that the angle increases with the voltage up to 100 V but decreases at 150 V. At 150 V, the droplet's speed becomes large enough to counterbalance the effects of v_(RMS) and the droplet has a more vertical trajectory.

Ideally, each droplet has the same exit angle and, if the substrate is moved straight, the printed droplets form a perfect straight line. However, the exit angle of successive droplets is not necessarily constant. In some cases, it may be advantageous to have as little exit angle variation as possible, in other words, to reduce the variance of the exit angle. FIG. 17 shows that, in some cases, the variance of the angle decreases as the angle increases. Taking 100 V, for example, it can be seen that the variance decreases as the nozzle is displaced. This effect may be used to increase the printing precision at certain intermediate voltages, such as 100 V.

Displacement of the nozzle (and thus the nozzle opening) within the chamber outlet may be a very powerful tool to control the trajectory of the droplet. Using a micrometric stage for the nozzle displacement, it may be possible to precisely choose the exit angle and therefore the impact location. FIG. 17 shows a range of angles between 0°-17°. The geometry of the chamber outlet and the position of the nozzle impose a maximal exit angle before the droplet touches the wall. Taking a nozzle displacement of 200 μm, a droplet diameter of 300 μm and considering a straight trajectory, the maximum angle is α_(max)≈26°. For a displacement of 200 μm and a voltage of 100 V, an angle of 17° is observed. This value may increase for displacements larger than 200 μm. Angles up to 35° are observed for large displacements (approximately 300 μm).

Experimental Set-Up

The experimental set-up includes a sound source, an acoustic chamber and a fluid (ink) dispensing system.

Sound system: A magnetostrictive transducer (Etrema C18A) excites the resonant mode of an emitter (designed in-house). The resonance frequency of the system is 26.460 kHz. The transducer is driven by a sinusoidal signal at the resonance frequency of the system of 26.460 kHz and amplified to a maximum value of 115 V (Peavy CS4080).

Acoustic chamber: The acoustophoretic printing apparatus was designed and manufactured in-house with multiple acrylic parts. To allow for easy nozzle insertion, the acoustic chamber is rectangular, measuring 15 mm×65 mm×7.5 mm. The emitter is at one end and the chamber outlet is at the other end. The subwavelength chamber outlet takes the form of a cylindrical bore of 2 mm in diameter and 5.5 mm in length or height.

Fluid dispensing system: Experiments were performed with two positive displacement systems, including a syringe pump (Harvard apparatus) and a Nordson EDF2800 Ultra. Both systems utilize a Luer-lock connection to the nozzle. Tapered glass nozzles are manufactured in-house with a pipette puller (Sutter P-1000) and connected to a Luer-lock connector with epoxy glue. The nozzle tips are treated with a hydrophobic coating to reduce wetting.

Numerical Model

An axisymmetric linear acoustic model was implemented with an FEM solver to calculate the acoustic field inside the subWAVE. The acoustic force was calculated with both the Gor'kov potential model and the surface integral of the radiation pressure on the sphere.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain embodiments thereof, other embodiments are possible without departing from the present invention. The spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited, therefore, to the description of the preferred embodiments contained herein. All embodiments that come within the meaning of the claims, either literally or by equivalence, are intended to be embraced therein.

Furthermore, the advantages described above are not necessarily the only advantages of the invention, and it is not necessarily expected that all of the described advantages will be achieved with every embodiment of the invention. 

1. An acoustophoretically printed droplet comprising: a synthetic or naturally-derived biocompatible material; and a drug or pharmaceutical agent.
 2. The acoustophoretically printed droplet of claim 1, wherein the synthetic or naturally-derived biocompatible material comprises a hydrogel.
 3. The acoustophoretically printed droplet of claim 1, wherein the synthetic or naturally-derived biocompatible material comprises a polymer derived from collagen, hyaluronate, fibrin, alginate, agarose, chitosan or gelatin.
 4. The acoustophoretically printed droplet of claim 1, further comprising cells.
 5. The acoustophoretically printed droplet of claim 4, wherein the cells include human cells selected from the group consisting of: stem cells, primary cells, and other cell types.
 6. The acoustophoretically printed droplet of claim 1 comprising a volume less than about 4 mm³.
 7. The acoustophoretically printed droplet of claim 6, wherein the volume is less than about 0.004 mm³.
 8. The acoustophoretically printed droplet of claim 1 having a diameter in a range from about 10 microns to about 2 mm.
 9. The acoustophoretically printed droplet of claim 8, wherein the diameter is in the range from about 200 microns to about 2 mm.
 10. The acoustophoretically printed droplet of claim 1 comprising a value of Z from 0.001 to
 1000. 11. The acoustophoretically printed droplet of claim 10, wherein the value of Z is in the range from greater than 10 to
 1000. 12. The acoustophoretically printed droplet of claim 10, wherein the value of Z is in the range from 0.001 to less than
 10. 13. The acoustophoretically printed droplet of claim 1 being printed from an ink comprising the synthetic or naturally-derived biocompatible material and the drug or pharmaceutical agent, wherein the ink comprises a viscosity in a range from 1 mPa·s to 1000 mPa·s.
 14. The acoustophoretically printed droplet of claim 1 being disposed on or in a substrate comprising a liquid, gel, or solid. 